Make your own Gluten-Free Paneer

I usually consider Indian food to be gluten-free-friendly, but several times I've gone to buy pre-packaged paneer and found that it had modified food starch in it.  I don't know why this simple fresh cheese would need it, but there it is, rearing it's ugly head.

I found this easy recipe online at www.majulaskitchen.com and tried it out last night.  I confess after I started pressing it, I fell asleep and so mine pressed all night instead of the recommended one or two hours.  

This morning, I unwrapped it and found a perfect hunk of paneer.  It was firm and tasty.

Here is the recipe from Majula's Kitchen.  Go to their site for more ideas and variations.

Ingredients:

• 8 cups (half gallon) milk
  
• 1/4 cup lemon Juice
  

Method:

1. Mix lemon juice in half cup of hot water and put aside.
   
2. Boil the milk in a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, making sure not to burn milk.
   
3. As the milk comes to a boil, add the lemon juice gradually and stir the milk gently. The curd will start separating from the whey, turn off the heat.
   
4. Once the milk fat has separated from the whey, drain the whey using a strainer line with cheesecloth, or muslin cloth.
   
5. Wrap the curds in a muslin cloth, rinse under cold water, and squeeze well. This process takes out the sourness from the lemon.
   
6. To take out the excess water, press the wrapped paneer under a heavy pan for about 1 hour.